


Not Quite Stalking

by HeartsFate



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: F/M, very brief mention of suicide, very brief reference to a future character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:00:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23719357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeartsFate/pseuds/HeartsFate
Summary: After all it can’t be considered stalking when it’s part of your job, and definitely not when your target is someone you care about.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Reno
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	Not Quite Stalking

It’s a wonder how an entire forest can feel as though it were sad. He’d never thought much of plant life or the planet for that matter, but here he was contemplating on whether or not the feeling washing over him was truly the forest or...maybe it was something else.

Shaking his head of the thoughts, he turned back to his target. After all it can’t be considered stalking when it’s part of your job, and definitely not when your target is someone you care about. 

He’s a concerned...friend? Booty call? Boyfriend? Lover? 

They never did place a label on whatever it is they were. But it didn’t stop him from being worried in his own way. 

So here he was a good distance away from Avalanche’s campsite for the night; watching and waiting. Not too much time passes before he spies a slim figure slipping out from one of tents; carefully looking every which way. 

He chuckles softly to himself. He taught her well, checking to make sure her companions were still asleep before she made her move.

With a knapsack carefully pulled up over her shoulder and her staff clenched tightly in her hand, she slips out into the darkness and he follows. There’s enough distance for Aerith to not sense him and enough to keep her in his sights. He had wanted to wait a little longer and surprise her, but his impatience wins. He runs ahead of her, still remaining out of sight. 

She freezes, clenching her mighty guard tightly in her hands, poised to attack. Her emerald green eyes pierce his despite being cloaked in darkness.

‘That’s my girl,’ he smirks, happy their training paid off. She doesn’t move or make a sound, simply waiting and watching him. He really has taught her well. 

He moves towards her, purposely rustling bushes and snapping twigs beneath his boot. She continues to wait, her hand moving just the slightest bit to the bangle on her wrist. Licks of red beginning to dance around her fingertips. 

“Hey Princess” he calls, lips curled up in his usual smirk. 

“Reno,” she sighs out in relief as a small smile graced her lips, the little light show disappearing and saving his ass from going up in flames. However, the smile melts away just as quickly as it appeared and her eyes narrow, “Reno,” she repeats harshly, “what are you doing here?”

He shrugs half heartedly, hands stuffed into the pockets on his pants as he closed the distance between them. 

“You know why.”

Aerith softens under his gaze, her shoulders falling as she leans forward, head pressed against his chest. 

“The weight of the world’s gotta be heavy,” he jokes despite himself, still refusing to touch her despite his body urging him too. 

She huffs out a little laugh, “you have no idea.” 

If he’s honest with himself, he never wants to know the feeling and he wishes she didn’t have to. He wants to steal her away, ignoring everything and everyone. SHINRA was dead. Avalanche is...well he’s not sure and he really doesn’t care. 

No one deserves her, especially not him.

“Why?” he asks, finally reaching for her, his hands closing around her biceps. “Why do you have to do this?”

“You know why,” she quietly parrots, “it’s the only way.”

He wants to call bullshit. There are always other options. There had to be one that didn’t require his girlfriend - lover, whatever - to sacrifice herself for the damn Planet. 

“I’m scared, Reno,” Aerith whispers, the soft thud of her staff against the forest floor was the only sound that followed. She reaches up and grips the lapels of the dark blazer tightly, “I’m so scared.”

“Then don’t go.” 

It’s more of a demand than he actually intended it to be. He captures her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tilting her head up to meet his eyes. Unshed tears gleam back at him under the moonlight. 

“Don’t go, Pinkie,” he repeats, “we can go right now. I’ll say fuck it to Shinra and the Turks. You can forget all about Avalanche and the Planet and the Ancients. We’ll go into hiding. You know I’ll take care of you. I’ll take you away from all this, all you have to do is say so.”

A sad smile stretches her lips. She didn’t have to give him her answer, he already knew. Of course he did, they’d talked about it before and there was no changing her mind. 

“Reno…”

He refuses to let her continue, closing the gap between them. Her lips soft against his chapped ones. He never did listen when told to carry lip balm. 

What a strange thing to cross his mind at that moment. Why don’t you wear lip balm, Reno? Why are you thinking about that shit when trying desperately to kiss Aerith into oblivion so she won’t leave. 

He could laugh at himself and normally he would. Right now he was only thinking of himself and acting like a brat. He didn’t want to share her with the Plant. He didn’t want to let her go.

The feel of something cold and wet against his cheeks startled him. He couldn’t tell if they were from him or the girl he was trying to devour.

Gentle hands cradled his face, slowly pulling away Aerith rested her forehead against his. He frowned, staring down at her. She shook her head, trying to step out of his grasp.

“I have to continue, Reno,” she whispered, meeting his gaze, pleading for him to understand. 

“No,” he held tighter, refusing to let her escape. “I’m not letting you commit suicide for the sake of this stupid ass world.”

Aerith smiled sadly, stealing one last kiss. “I’m sorry.” 

Something shone on her right hand, the green orb on her bangle coming to life. “Everything will be just fine,” she promised. “Sleep now.” 

He wanted to scream as a sudden warmth overtook him, eyes growing heavy. He blinked, trying to keep himself awake as Aerith carefully helped to lie him down.

“I love you.”

* * *

Reno groaned, the stinging of his cheeks pulling him from his slumber. He reached for his electric rod, just barely missing his partner’s hand. 

“Rude?”

“You’ve been out for a while,” Rude answers, helping Reno to his feet.

He held his head taking in his surroundings. Still in the forest with Aerith long gone and far from his reach. 

“Did you find her?”

Rude already knew the answer to his question. He wasn’t stupid. He knew why Reno snuck away while he’d slept. 

“Here, this was left on your chest,” a yellow flower was thrust into his hand by the stoic man. 

Reno stared down at the offending flower, gently twirling it between his thumb and forefinger. 

A silent promise to be reunited if he remembers right. She better keep to it.


End file.
